WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6
27 September 2011 
 (11-4655) 
Committee on Trade and Development 
Dedicated Session  
 
 
 
WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES  
 
Compilation paper prepared by the Secretariat 
 
Revision 
 
 
I.  INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. .. 4 
II.  MANDATE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................... 5  
A.  PARAGRAPH 35 OF THE DOHA MINISTERIAL DECLARATION – WT/MIN(01)/ DEC/1 
(20 NOVEMBER  2001) ................................................................................................................. 5  
B.  PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES FRAMEWORK AND 
PROCEDURES – WT/L/447  (1 MARCH 2002) ................................................................................. 5  
C.  PARAGRAPH 1.D OF THE 1 AUGUST :  2004  GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION - WT/L/579 ................. 6  
D.  PARAGRAPH 41 OF THE HONG KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION - WT/MIN(05)/ DEC 
(18 DECEMBER 2005) .................................................................................................................. 6  
D.1  REFERENCES TO SMALL ECONOMIES IN PARAGRAPH 21 OF THE SECTION ON NAMA IN 
THE HONG  KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  ............................................................................ 6  
D.2  REFERENCES TO SMALL EC ONOMIES IN THE SERVICES – ANNEX C OF THE HONG KONG 
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  ........................................................................................................ 7  
III. DECISIONS ..................................................................................................................... ......... 8 
A.  COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL 
ECONOMIES  .............................................................................................................................. ... 8 
1.  Report to the General Council on Measures to Assist Small Economies in 
Meeting their Obligations under the Agreements on SPS Measures, TBT and TRIPS - WT/COMTD/SE/5 (3 October 2006) ........................................................................ 8  
B. 
COMMITTEE ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES  ................................................ 10  
1.  Report (2010) of The Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures - 
G/L/937 (29 October 2010) .....................................................................................................  10 
2.  Decision of the General Council of 27 July 2007 - WT/L/691 (31 July 2007) 
Based on the Draft Decision of the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures of 13 July 2007 (G/SCM/120) ................................................................................ 11  
IV.  COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE - SPECIAL SESSION ............................................ 18  
A.  CURRENT MODALITIES DRAFT  ................................................................................................... 18  
1.  Revised Draft Modalities for Agriculture - TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4 (6 December 2008) ......... 18  
B.  LATEST SVE SUBMISSIONS  ......................................................................................................... 20  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 2  
 
  2.  Flexibilities in the Agricultural Modali ties on the Pillars of Domestic Support 
and Export Competition, Communication by the Group of Small and Vulnerable 
Economies (SVEs) - JOB/AG/16 (24 March 2011) ............................................................... 20  
3.  The Special Safeguard Mechanism ( SSM) Modalities to Apply to Small 
Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), Communication by the Group of Small 
Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) 
Group, and the African Group - JOB/AG/17 (24 March 2011) .......................................... 22  
V.  NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS FOR 
NON-AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS................................................................................. 28  
A. 
CURRENT MODALITIES DRAFT  ................................................................................................... 28  
1.  Fourth Revision of Draft Modalities for Non-Agricultural Market Access – 
TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3 (6 December 2008) ............................................................................. 28  
B.  LATEST SVE SUBMISSIONS  ......................................................................................................... 30  
1.  Contribution to the Special and Differenti al Treatment and Technical Assistance 
Provisions on the "Horizontal Mechanism", Communication from El Salvador 
on behalf of Small Vulnerable, Econ omies - JOB/MA/89 (19 April 2011) ........................ 30  
2.  Questions to the co-sponsors of  the proposal of  "Ministerial Decision on 
procedures for the facilitation of solutions to Non-Tariff Barriers", 
Communication from the group of small vulnerable economies – JOB/MA/55 (3 November 2010) ............................................................................................................. ..... 30 
3.  Questions to the co-sponsors of  the proposal of  "Negotiating Text on 
Liberalizing Trade in Remanufactured Goods", Communication from the group 
of small vulnerable economies – JOB/MA/56 (3 November 2010) ..................................... 31  
VI.  COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERV ICES SPECIAL SESSION ......................................... 33  
A. 
CURRENT DRAFT TEXT ............................................................................................................... 33  
1.  Elements Required for the Completion of  the Services Negotiations, Report by 
the Chairman - TN/S/34 (28 July 2008) ................................................................................ 33  
VII. WORKING PARTY ON DOME STIC REGULATION ..................................................... 34  
1.  Services - Trade-Related Concerns of Small, Vulnerable Economies in the 
Working Party on Domestic Regulation - JOB(06)/66/Rev.2 (10 July 2006) ..................... 34  
VIII. NEGOTIATING GROU P ON RULES ................................................................................. 37  
A.  CURRENT DRAFT TEXT ............................................................................................................... 37  
1.  Textual Proposal for Additional Flexibilities for Small and Vulnerable 
Economies Under Article III of the Proposed Draft Chair's Text On Fisheries Subsidies – TN/RL/GEN/162/Rev.1 (20 April 2011) ............................................................ 37  
2.  Textual Proposal for Additional Flexibilities for Small and Vulnerable 
Economies Under Article III of the Proposed Draft Chair's Text On Fisheries 
Subsidies – TN/RL/GEN/162 (8 January 2010) .................................................................... 41  
3.  Drafting Proposal on Issues Relating to Article III.4 ("Special and Differential 
Treatment of Developing Country Memb ers") of the Fisheries Subsidies Annex 
to the SCM Agreement as Proposed by the Chair in TN/RL/W/213 - TN/RL/GEN/158 (22 May 2008) ............................................................................................ 41  
IX.  COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 43   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 3 
 
 
  A.  CURRENT DRAFT TEXT ............................................................................................................... 43  
1.  Views of the Small Vulnerable Economies on the Negotiations of Paragraph 
31(III) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Communication from the Small, Vulnerable Economies - JO B/TE/18 (1 April 2011) ............................................................. 43  
X.  NEGOTIATING GROUP ON TR ADE FACILITATION ................................................. 45  
A. 
CURRENT DRAFT TEXT ............................................................................................................... 45  
1.  Draft consolidated negotiating text - TN/TF/W/165/Rev. 5 (5 November 2010) ............... 45  
XI.  AID FOR TRADE TASK FORCE ........................................................................................ 46  
1.  Aid for Trade - WT/AFT/W/18 (15 June 2006) .................................................................... 46  
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 4  
 
  I. INTRODUCTION 
 Paragraph 41 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration
1 instructs the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD) in Dedicated Session to m onitor progress of the small economies' proposals 
in the Doha Development Agenda  (DDA) negotiating groups and other WTO bodies.  At its Fifteenth 
Dedicated Session on 20 July 2006, Members requested the Secretariat to prepare a note based on an 
initial paper prepared by a group of small economies.2  The paper was to help the CTD in Dedicated 
Session to monitor work currently underway in the WTO and in the DDA negotiating groups.  Its aim 
was to track proposals made by the proponents of  small economies as well as relevant WTO reports 
and draft texts circulated to date by the various Chairs of the DDA negotiating groups.3  
 The paper was expanded in document WT/COMTD/S E/W/22 to reflect the state of play of all 
the small economies' issues discussed in WTO bodi es and negotiating groups since the launch of the 
Work Programme on Small Economies in 2001.  To date, five revisions have been issued to reflect the 
evolution of the texts and proposals discussed and to  take stock of any WTO decisions reached.  The 
fifth revision reflects only the latest texts and decisi ons and does not provide details of how these texts 
evolved since this is reflected in previous versions.  The sixth revisi on contains further revisions made 
to the proposals since November 2010 and aims to pr ovide Members with an overview of the current 
state of play of issues concerning the proponents of  small economies.  The paper has been prepared 
under the Secretariat's own responsibility and does not prejudice the right of any Member to raise other concerns or views related to th e Work Programme on Small Economies.   
                                                      
1 WT/MIN(05)/DEC. 
2 WT/COMTD/SE/W/21/Rev.1. 
3 Note that the numbering of footnotes in this document may not correspond to the numbering of 
footnotes of the original documents included herein.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 5 
 
 
  II. MANDATE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK 
A. PARAGRAPH 35 OF THE DOHA MINISTERIAL DECLARATION – WT /MIN(01)/DEC/1 
(20 NOVEMBER  2001) 
We agree to a work programme, under the auspices of the General Council, to 
examine issues relating to the trade of sma ll economies.  The objective of this work is 
to frame responses to the trade-related issu es identified for the fuller integration of 
small, vulnerable economies into the multila teral trading system, and not to create a 
sub-category of WTO Members.  The General Council shall review the work programme and make recommendations for action to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference. 
B. 
PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES FRAMEWORK AND 
PROCEDURES – WT/L/447 (1 MARCH 2002) 
In pursuance of this mandate, the Work Programme shall be undertaken in 
accordance with the following framework and procedures:   
(a) The Work Programme shall remain under the overall responsibility of 
the General Council. 
(b) The General Council shall have the Work Programme on Small 
Economies (WPSE) as a standing item on its agenda. 
(c) The objective of this work is to frame responses to the trade-related 
issues identified for the fuller integra tion of small, vulnerable economies 
into the multilateral trading system. 
(d) The General Council shall instruct the CTD to have a programme of 
work on small economies which will be  conducted in dedicated sessions 
of the CTD.   
(e) The CTD shall report regularly to  the General Council on the progress 
of work in the dedicated sessions. 
(f) The Chairperson of the regular CTD shall also be the Chair for the 
dedicated sessions of the CTD. 
(g) The dedicated sessions of the CTD shall have an agreed calendar of 
meetings to complete the work under its mandate. 
(h) The CTD will hold informal meetings as necessary with a view to 
assisting the formal process in the dedicated sessions of the CTD. 
(i) In accordance with the outcome of  the programme of work in the CTD, 
the General Council shall, as appropriate, direct relevant subsidiary bodies to frame responses to the trade -related issues identified by the 
CTD with a view to making recomme ndations for action to the Fifth 
Session of the Ministerial Conference as mandated.  This does not 
prejudice the right of Members to submit for consideration proposals 
relating to the concerns of small economies to the relevant WTO bodies. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 6  
 
  (j) As and when necessary, the dedicated sessions of the CTD will work in 
collaboration with relevant subsidiary bodies. 
(k) Members are urged to make their own contributions to the work of the 
CTD under its programme of work.  The  General Council shall instruct 
the WTO Secretariat to provide rel evant information and factual 
analysis, inter alia, 
(i) on the impact of WTO rules on Small Economies; 
(ii) on the constraints faced by Small Economies as well as their 
shortfalls in institutional and adm inistrative capacities, including 
in the area of human resources; 
(iii) on the effects of Trade Liberalization on Small Economies. 
The CTD will also request information and analysis from other agencies 
and bodies that carry out work on small economies. 
 
C. 
PARAGRAPH 1.D OF THE 1 AUGUST :  2004  GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION - WT/L/579 
The trade-related issues identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable 
economies into the multilateral trading system, should also be addressed, without creating a sub-category of Members, as par t of a work programme, as mandated in 
paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. 
D. 
PARAGRAPH 41 OF THE HONG KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION - WT /MIN(05)/DEC 
(18 DECEMBER 2005) 
We reaffirm our commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies and urge 
Members to adopt specific measures that w ould facilitate the fuller integration of 
small, vulnerable economies into the mu ltilateral trading system, without creating a 
sub-category of WTO Members.  We take note of the report of the Committee on Trade and Development in Dedicated Session on the Work Programme on Small 
Economies to the General Council and agree to the recommendations on future work.  
We instruct the Committee on Trade  and Development, under the overall 
responsibility of the General Council, to con tinue the work in the Dedicated Session 
and to monitor progress of the small ec onomies' proposals in the negotiating and 
other bodies, with the aim of providing res ponses to the trade-related issues of small 
economies as soon as possible but no later than 31 December 2006.  We instruct the 
General Council to report on progress and ac tion taken, together with any further 
recommendations as appropriate, to our next Session.  
D.1 
REFERENCES TO SMALL ECONOMIES  IN PARAGRAPH 21 OF THE SECTION ON NAMA IN THE 
HONG  KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  
 PARAGRAPH 21 
 
We note the concerns raised by small,  vulnerable economies, and instruct the 
Negotiating Group to establish ways to  provide flexibilities for these Members 
without creating a sub-category of WTO Members.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 7 
 
 
  D.2 REFERENCES TO SMALL ECONOMIES IN THE SERVICES – ANNEX C OF THE HONG KONG 
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  
PARAGRAPH 8 
 
Due consideration shall be given to pr oposals on trade-related concerns of small 
economies. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 8  
 
  III. DECISIONS 
A. 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT DEDICATED SESSION ON SMALL ECONOMIES  
1. Report to the General Council on Measures to  Assist Small Economies in Meeting their 
Obligations under the Agreements on SPS Measures, TBT and TRIPS4 - 
WT/COMTD/SE/5 (3 October 2006) 
1. In paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration5, Ministers established a work 
programme under the auspices of the General C ouncil to examine issues relating to the trade 
of small economies with the objective of frami ng responses to the trade-related issues 
identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading 
system, without creating a sub-category of WTO Members.   
2. On 1 March 2002, the General Council took note of a framework and procedures for 
the conduct of the Work Programme on Small Economies6 and instructed the Committee on 
Trade and Development (CTD) to conduct this programme of work in Dedicated Sessions and 
to report regularly on the progress of its work  to the General Council.  This mandate was 
reaffirmed by the 1 August 2004 Decision of the General Council.7  At the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Conference, Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to this Work Programme and 
urged Members to adopt specific measures that w ould facilitate the fuller integration of small 
economies into the multilateral trading system.8 
3. In discussions in the CTD in Dedicated Session, the proponents of small economies 
identified, as one of the trade-related issues a ffecting the fuller integration of their economies 
into the multilateral trading system, their lim ited administrative capacities to implement 
complex rules and procedures and, in partic ular, to fulfil their obligations under the 
Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (T BT), on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS) and on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).  
4. In documents WT/COMTD/SE/W/15, WT/COMTD/SE/W/16 and 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/18, the proponents suggested that they be allowed to designate regional 
bodies to assist them in the implementation of their obligations in the SPS, TBT and TRIPS 
Agreements and sought explicit approval fro m Members to do so.  The proposals underwent 
two revisions9 to take into account the concerns raised by other Members in the Dedicated 
Session and at informal and/or formal meetings of the SPS and TBT Committees and the TRIPS Council. 
 
5. Reports from the Chairpersons of these bodies were sent to the Chairperson of the 
CTD in Dedicated Session.  The proponents of small economies also clarified that it was not 
their intention to modify, amend or alter the ba lance of rights and obligations contained in the 
SPS, TBT or TRIPS Agreements and that they, as Members, remain ultimately responsible 
for adhering to the obligations they contain.  
 
                                                      
4 The General Council, at its meeting of 10 October 2006, agreed to the recommendations and 
understandings contained in paragraph 6 of the report. 
5 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1. 
6 WT/L/447. 
7 WT/L/579. 
8 WT/MIN(05)/DEC, paragraph 41. 
9 The latest versions have been circulated as WT/COMTD/SE/W/15/Rev.2, 
WT/COMTD/SE/W/16/Rev.2 and WT/COMTD/SE/W/18/Rev.2.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 9 
 
 
  6. On the basis of the discussions that ha ve been held on this matter, the CTD in 
Dedicated Session considers that the use by sm all, vulnerable economies of regional bodies to 
provide technical support and assistance as necessary could help them implement their obligations in the areas of SPS, TBT and TRIPS, and thereby facilitate their fuller integration 
into the multilateral trading system.  Accordingly, and in pursuance of the provisions of 
paragraph 41 of the Hong Kong Ministerial D eclaration, the CTD in Dedicated Session 
recommends that the General Council agrees that  small economies are allowed to use such 
regional bodies to assist them in the implemen tation of their obligations under the SPS, TBT 
and TRIPS Agreements.  It also recommends that Members and the WTO, within its competence, when providing technical and financial assistance to support small, vulnerable 
economies in fulfilling their rights and obligati ons under the agreements concerned, shall 
consider the advantages of providing that assistance  to the regional body where such exists.  It 
is understood that individual Members bene fiting from these recommendations will continue 
to be legally responsible a nd accountable for their individual notifications and other 
obligations under these Agreements.  This r ecommendation is without prejudice both to the 
identification of other specific measures in due course to facilitate the fuller integration of 
small economies into the multilateral trading sy stem and to the use of regional bodies as 
described in this report by othe r developing country Members.  
 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 10  
 
  B. 
COMMITTEE ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES  
1. Report (2010) of The Committee on Subsid ies and Countervailing Measures - G/L/937 
(29 October 2010) 
19. A General Council Decision adopted on 27 July 2007 (WT/L/691) lays down 
procedures whereby during the period 2008-20 12 the Committee will continue to grant 
extensions under Article 27.4 of the Agreement of the transition period for the elimination of 
export subsidies.  Among other th ings, this Decision states, in paragraph 1(f), that Members 
benefiting from such extensions shall submit an ac tion plan as an integral part of their annual 
updating notification in 2010.  At its regular  meeting of 28 October 2010, the Committee 
conducted a review of the transparency and sta ndstill requirements contained in this Decision 
as well as the action plans submitted by the Memb ers concerned and agreed to continue for 
calendar year 2011 the extensions of the tran sition period that the Committee had previously 
granted for calendar years 2003-2010.10 
                                                      
10 The Committee decisions continuing the extensions of the transition period for calendar year 2011 
may be found in the following documents: Antigua & Barbuda (G/SCM/50/Add.8-51/Add.8);  Barbados 
(G/SCM/52/Add.8-56/Add.8);  Belize (G/SCM/57/Add.8-59/Add.8);  Costa Rica (G/SCM/61/Add.8-62/Add.8);  
Dominica (G/SCM/63/Add.8);  Dominican Republic (G/SCM/64/Add.8);  El Salvador (G/SCM/65/Add.8);  Fiji (G/SCM/66/Add.8-67/Add.8);  Grenada (G/SCM/69/Add.8-71/Add.8); Guatemala (G/SCM/72/Add.8-
74/Add.8);  Jamaica (G/SCM/75/Add.8-78/Add.8);  Jord an (G/SCM/79/Add.8);  Ma uritius (G/SCM/83/Add.8);  
Panama (G/SCM/84/Add.8-85/Add.8);  Papua New Guinea (G/SCM/86/Add.8);  St. Lucia (G/SCM/87/Add.8-89/Add.8);  St. Kitts and Nevis (G/SCM/90/Add.8);  St . Vincent and the Grenadines (G/SCM/91/Add.8);  and 
Uruguay (G/SCM/92/Add.8).  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 11 
 
 
  2. Decision of the General Council of 27 July 2007 - WT/L/691 (31 July 2007) Based on the 
Draft Decision of the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures of 
13 July 2007 (G/SCM/120) 
ARTICLE 27.4 OF THE AGREEMENT ON SUBSIDIES AND 
COUNTERVAILING MEASURES 
 
Decision of 27 July 2007 
 
The General Council, 
 
 Having regard  to Articles IV:1 and 2 and IX:1 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization ("WTO Agreement") and Article 27.4 of the Agreement on Subsidies and 
Countervailing Measures  ("SCM Agreement ");   
  Recalling that the Members of the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures 
("SCM Committee" or "Committee"), as di rected by the Ministerial Conference
11 have granted, 
pursuant to the procedures set forth in document G/SCM/39, extensions pursuant to Article 27.4 of the SCM Agreement  of the transition period under Article 27.2(b) of the SCM Agreement  for the 
elimination of export subsidies, in respect of certain programmes of certain developing country 
Members;    
 
 Noting the proposals submitted by those developi ng country Members to extend the 
procedures contained in G/SCM/39;
12   
  Noting  the terms of paragraph 5 of this Decision;  
 
 Recognizing  the economic, financial and developmen t needs, as well as the capacity and 
administrative constraints, of those Members in  implementing their commitments pursuant to the 
SCM Agreement  in respect of the elimination of export subsidies;   
  On the basis of  the commitment of those Members to eliminate the export subsidies in 
question not later than 31 December 2015, with  no requests for extension beyond those foreseen 
pursuant to this Decision;   
  Decides  to adopt the following procedures.   
 
PROCEDURES FOR CONTINUATION OF EXTENSIONS PURSUANT 
TO ARTICLE 27.4 OF THE SCM AGREEMENT OF THE TRANSITION 
PERIOD UNDER ARTICLE 27.2(b) OF THE SCM AGREEMENT 
FOR CERTAIN DEVELOPING COUNTRY MEMBERS 
 
 The SCM Committee shall follow the proce dures set forth below in respect of the 
continuation of extensions pursuant to Article 27.4 of the SCM Agreement  ("SCM Article 27.4") of 
the transition period under Article 27.2(b) of the SCM Agreement  for certain programmes, identified 
in the Annex.
13  
                                                      
11 Ministerial Decision on Implementation-Rel ated Issues and Concerns, (WT/MIN(01)/17), 
paragraph 10.6.   
12 See documents G/SCM/W/535 and G/SCM/W/537 and addenda.   
13 The programmes eligible for continuations of extensions under these procedures are programmes 
providing export subsidies in the form of full or partial exemptions from import duties and internal taxes for WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 12  
 
   
1. Mechanism for continuation of extension 
 
(a) A Member that wishes to seek a continuation, for calendar year 2008, of the 
extension under SCM Article 27.4 for a progr amme listed in the Annex, shall submit 
a request to that effect to the SCM Comm ittee not later than 3 September 2007.  The 
request also shall include a reference to the WTO document containing the corresponding updating notification covering calendar year 2006, which the Member shall have submitted to the SCM Committee pursuant to 1(d) of G/SCM/39.
14   
(b) Not later than 26 October 2007, Members of the SCM Committee shall agree to 
continue the extensions, for calendar year  2008, for programmes listed in the Annex 
in respect of which requests have been s ubmitted pursuant to 1(a) and for which the 
Committee has verified, in its annual review conducted pursuant to G/SCM/3915, that 
the transparency and standstill requireme nts under G/SCM/39 were fulfilled during 
2006.   
(c) As provided for in SCM Article 27.4, the continuation of extensions by the 
SCM Committee pursuant to these procedures shall be subject to annual reviews in the form of consultations between th e Committee and the Members receiving 
continuations of extensions.  These annual re views shall be conducted on the basis of 
annual updating notifications from the Members in question, as referred to in 2(a).  
The purpose of the annual reviews shall be to verify that the transparency and 
standstill requirements set forth in 2 and 3 are being fulfilled.   
(d) During the period 2008-2012, Members of the SCM Committee shall agree to 
continue the extensions pursuant to these procedures , subject to verification through 
annual reviews as provided for in 1(c) that the transparency and standstill 
requirements set forth in 2 and 3 are being fulfilled.
16  The "last authorized period" 
referred to in the last sentence of SCM Article 27.4 shall not extend beyond 
31 December 2013, and the final two-year phase-out period provided for in the last 
sentence of SCM Article 27.4 shall end not later than 31 December 2015.   
(e) A Member receiving a continuation of an ex tension under these procedures shall take, 
from 1 January 2008, the necessary internal steps with a view to eliminating export 
subsidies under the programme before the end of the final two-year phase-out period 
provided for in the last sentence of SCM Article 27.4.  These steps shall include 
consultations with relevant government  bodies and organisations and any necessary 
technical and/or legal assessments.  In addition, from 1 January 2008 and in no case 
later than 31 December 2009, the Member shall notify each beneficiary under the programme indicating that no export subsidies within the meaning of 
SCM Article 3.1(a) will be granted or  maintained beyond the end of calendar 
year 2015.   
                                                                                                                                                                     
which the SCM Committee continued extensions of the transition period under SCM Article 27.4 for calendar 
year 2007 pursuant to the procedures in G/SCM/39.   
14 At the regular meeting of the Committee in April 2007, these Members were reminded to submit 
their updating notifications by 30 June 2007.   
15 The procedures in G/SCM/39 shall cease to be effec tive upon completion of this  2007 annual review.   
16 This extension mechanism shall cease to be effec tive upon completion in 2012  of the annual review 
by the Committee to continue the extensions for calendar y ear 2013, such that there will be no basis for requests 
for extension beyond those foreseen in this Decision.    WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 13 
 
 
  (f) A Member receiving a continuation of an  extension under these procedures shall 
provide, for transparency purposes, an action plan for eliminating export subsidies under the programme, as an integral pa rt of the annual updating notification 
submitted for the annual review  to be conducted in 2010.
17  As part of this review, the 
SCM Committee shall undertake a mid-period assessment of each programme for 
which it has continued an extension under these procedures.  During this mid-period 
assessment, the SCM Committee shall take st ock of the steps undertaken as of that 
point by the notifying Member pursuant to  1(e), and shall discuss the action plan 
provided by the Member.   
(g) A Member receiving a continuation of an extension under these procedures may 
request the WTO Secretariat to provide technical assistance for eliminating export 
subsidies under the programme.   
2. Transparency  
 
(a) The annual updating notifications shall fo llow the agreed format for subsidy 
notifications under SCM Article 25 (found in  G/SCM/6/Rev.1).  Beginning with the 
updating notifications covering calendar y ear 2008, notifying Members also shall 
provide information regarding the actions they  have taken pursuant to 1(e) and 1(f).   
(b) During the annual reviews by the SCM Committee referred to in 1(c), notifying 
Members can be requested by other Me mbers to provide additional detail and 
clarification with a view to maintaining tran sparency in respect of the scope, coverage 
and intensity of benefits (the "favour ability") of the programmes in question18 and the 
form of the subsidies provided thereunder;   and in respect of the actions taken 
pursuant to 1(e) and 1(f).  Any informati on provided in response to such requests 
shall be considered part of the notified information.   
(c) A Member receiving a continuation of an  extension under these procedures shall 
ensure transparency in respect of the fi nal two-year phase-out period provided for in 
the last sentence of SCM Article 27.4 by submitting updating notifications under 
paragraph 2(a), which shall be subject to annual review by the Committee.   
3. Standstill 
 
(a) Through the end of the final two-year phase-out period provided for in 
SCM Article 27.4, the programmes for whic h extensions are continued under these 
procedures shall not be modified so as to ma ke them more favourable than they were 
as at 1 September 2001, as specified in the notified information previously submitted 
pursuant to the procedures in G/SCM/39.  The continuation of an expiring programme without modification shall not be deemed to violate standstill.   
                                                      
17 The action plan shall indicate how the Member intends to eliminate export subsidies under the 
programme not later than the end of the final two-year phase-out period provided for in the last sentence of SCM Article 27.4, including information as to legisla tive changes, administrative amendments and/or other 
procedures as may be necessary, and whether any of these actions have been undertaken  or are in the process of 
being undertaken, including how the individual beneficiaries have been notified pursuant to 1(e). 
18 The scope, coverage and intensity of benefits of the programmes in question will be determined on 
the basis of the legal instruments underlying the programmes.   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 14  
 
  (b) The verification of standstill in respect of  the scope, coverage and intensity of 
benefits (the "favourability") of the programmes shall be based on the notified 
information referred to in 1(c), 2(a), 2(b) and 3(a).   
4. Product graduation on the ba sis of export competitiveness 
 
Notwithstanding these procedures, Articles 27.5 and 27.6 shall apply in respect of export 
subsidies for which extensions are con tinued pursuant to these procedures.   
5. Members listed in Annex VII(b) which reserved rights pursuant to the procedures in 
G/SCM/39 
 
(a) This Decision does not prejudge rights of Annex VII Members. 
(b) If, during the period 2008-2015, the per capita  GNP of a Member that reserved rights 
under paragraph 6(b) of G/SCM/39
19 reaches the level provided for in Annex VII(b) 
of the SCM Agreement  such that the Member is no lo nger included in Annex VII(b), 
that Member shall be able to make use of these procedures as from the date at which 
its per capita GNP reaches that level and for the remainder of that period.  The 
effective date for the standstill requirement re ferred to in 3(a) shall be the year in 
which that Member's GNP per capita reach es the level provided for in Annex VII(b) 
such that it is no longer in cluded in Annex VII(b).   
  
 
    
 
     
                                                      
19 The Members that reserved rights, and the programmes in respect of which these rights were 
reserved, are identified in documents G/SCM/N/74/ BOL & Suppl.1, G/SCM/N/74/HND, G/SCM/N/74/KEN, 
and G/SCM/N/74/LKA.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 15 
 
 
  ANNEX 
  
LIST OF PROGRAMMES ELIGIBLE FOR CONTINUATION OF EXTENSIONS  
UNDER THE PROCEDURES
20, AND DOCUMENT REFERENCES FOR THE  
EXTENSION DECISIONS BY THE SCM COMMITTEE  
COVERING CALENDAR YEAR 2007  
  Antigua & Barbuda  
 Fiscal Incentive Act Cap 172 (December 1975) (G/SCM/50/Add.4) 
 Free Trade and Processing Zone Act No. 12 of 1994 (G/SCM/51/Add.4) 
 
Barbados  
 Fiscal Incentive Programme (G/SCM/52/Add.4) 
 Export Allowance (G/SCM/53/Add.4) 
 Research & Development Allowance (G/SCM/54/Add.4) 
 International Business Incentives (G/SCM/55/Add.4) 
 Societies With Restricted Liability (G/SCM/56/Add.4) 
 
Belize  
 Fiscal Incentives Act (G/SCM/57/Add.4) 
 Export Processing Zone Act (G/SCM/58/Add. 4) 
 Commercial Free Zone Act (G/SCM/59/Add.4) 
 Conditional Duty Exemptions Facility under Treaty of Chaguaramas (G/SCM/60/Add.4) 
 
Costa Rica  
 Free Zone Regime (G/SCM/61/Add.4) 
 Inward Processing Regime (G/SCM/62/Add.4) 
 
Dominica  
 Fiscal Incentives Programme (G/SCM/63/Add.4) 
                                                      
20 Programmes for which the SCM Committee continued extensions of the transition period under 
SCM Article 27.4 for calendar year 2007 pursuant to th e procedures in G/SCM/39.  It is recalled that the 
eligibility criteria in G/SCM/39 on the basis of which the original extension decisions pursuant to those 
procedures (for calendar year 2003) were taken for the listed programmes were as follows (footnotes omitted):   
 "Programmes eligible for extension pursuant to these procedures, and for which Members shall 
therefore grant extensions for calendar year 2003 [...], are expor t subsidy programmes (i) in the form of full or 
partial exemptions from import duties and internal ta xes, (ii) which were in existence not later than 
1 September 2001, and (iii) which are provided by de veloping country Members (iv) whose share of world 
merchandise export trade was not greater than 0.10 per cent, (v) whose total Gross National Income ("GNI") for 
the year 2000 as published by the World Bank was at or below US$20 billion, (v i) and who are otherwise 
eligible to request an extension pursuant to Article 27 .4, and (vii) in respect of which these procedures are 
followed."   
 It is further recalled that, in respect of the above eligibility criteria, G/SCM/39 also provided that:   
 
"The criteria set forth in these procedures are solely  and strictly for the purpose of determining whether 
Members are eligible to invoke these procedures.  Members of the Committee agree that these criteria have no 
precedential value or relevance, direct or indirect, for any other purpose."   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 16  
 
  Dominican Republic  
 Law No. 8-90 to "Promote the Establishment of New Free Zones and Expand Existing Ones"  
(G/SCM/64/Add.4) 
 
El Salvador  
 Export Processing Zones and Marketing Act, as amended (G/SCM/65/Add.4) 
 
Fiji 
 Short-Term Export Profit Deduction (G/SCM/66/Add.4) 
 Export Processing Factories/Export Processing Zones Scheme (G/SCM/67/Add.4) 
 The Income Tax Act (Film Making and Audio Visual Incentive Amendment Decree 2000) 
(G/SCM/68/Add.4) 
 
Grenada  
 Fiscal Incentives Act No. 41 of 1974 (G/SCM/69/Add.4) 
 Statutory Rules and Orders No. 37 of 1999 (G/SCM/70/Add.4) 
 Qualified Enterprises Act No. 18 of 1978 (G/SCM/71/Add.4) 
 
Guatemala  
 Exemption from Company Tax, Customs Duti es and Other Import Taxes for Companies 
under Special Customs Regimes (G/SCM/72/Add.4) 
 Exemption from Company Tax, Customs Duties and Other Import Taxes for the Production 
Process Relating to Activities of Managers and Users of Free Zones (G/SCM/73/Add.4) 
 Exemption from Company Tax, Customs Duties and Other Import Taxes for the Production 
Process of Commercial and Industrial Enterprises Operating in the Industrial and Free Trade 
Zone (G/SCM/74/Add.4) 
 
Jamaica  
 Export Industry Encouragement Act (G/SCM/75/Add.4) 
 Jamaica Export Free Zone Act (G/SCM/76/Add.4) 
 Foreign Sales Corporation Act (G/SCM/77/Add.4) 
 Industrial Incentives (Factory Construction) Act (G/SCM/78/Add.4) 
 
Jordan  
 Partial or Total Exemption from Income Tax of Profits Generated from Exports under Law 
No. 57 of 1985, as amended (G/SCM/79/Add.4) 
 
Mauritius  
 Export Enterprise Scheme (G/SCM/80/Add.4) 
 Pioneer Status Enterprise Scheme (G/SCM/81/Add.4) 
 Export Promotion (G/SCM/82/Add.4) 
 Freeport Scheme (G/SCM/83/Add.4) 
 
Panama  
 Official Industry Register (G/SCM/84/Add.4 
 Export Processing Zones (G/SCM/85/Add.4) 
 
Papua New Guinea  
 Section 45 of the Income Tax (G/SCM/86/Add.4) 
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 17 
 
 
  St. Kitts and Nevis  
 Fiscal Incentives Act No. 17 of 1974 (G/SCM/90/Add.4) 
 
St. Lucia  
 Fiscal Incentives Act No. 15 of 1974 (G/SCM/87/Add.4) 
 Free Zone Act, No. 10 of 1999 (G/SCM/88/Add.4) 
 Micro and Small Scale Business Enterprises Ac t, No. 19 of 1998  (G/SCM/89/Add.4) 
 
St. Vincent & Grenadines  
 Fiscal Incentives Act No. 5 of 19 82, as amended (G/SCM/91/Add.4) 
 
Uruguay  
 Automotive Industry Export Promotion Regime  (G/SCM/92/Add.4) WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 18  
 
  IV. COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE - SPECIAL SESSION 
A. 
CURRENT MODALITIES DRAFT  
1. Revised Draft Modalities for Agricultu re - TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4 (6 December 2008) 
II. MARKET ACCESS 
A. T IERED FORMULA FOR TARIFF REDUCTIONS  
63. Developing country Members other than tho se specified in paragraph 65 below shall 
reduce their final bound tariffs in eleven equal annual instalments over ten years in 
accordance with the following tiered formula: 
(a) where the final bound tariff or ad valorem  equivalent is greater than 0 and 
less than or equal to 30 per cent, the reduction shall be 2/3 of the cut for 
developed country Members in paragraph 61(a) above; 
(b) where the final bound tariff or ad valorem  equivalent is greater than 
30 per cent and less than or equal to 80 per cent, the reduction shall be 2/3 of 
the cut for developed country Memb ers in paragraph 61(b) above; 
(c) where the final bound tariff or ad valorem  equivalent is greater than 
80 per cent and less than or equal to 1 30 per cent, the reduction shall be 2/3 
of the cut for developed country Members in paragraph 61(c) above;  and 
(d) where the final bound tariff or ad valorem  equivalent is greater than 
130 per cent, the reduction shall be 2/3 of the cut for developed country Members in paragraph 61(d) above. 
65. Those small, vulnerable economies
21, including those among them which are ceiling 
binding and homogenously low binding countries, which choose to exercise the option set 
forth in paragraph 130 below shall be entitled to moderate the cuts specified in paragraph 63 
above by a further 10 ad valorem  percentage points in each band. 
D. S PECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT  
Special Products 
 129. Developing country Members shall be en titled to self-designate Special Products 
guided by indicators
22 based on the criteria of food security, livelihood security and rural 
                                                      
21 The Members concerned are those that meet the cr iteria set out in paragraph 151 and are listed in 
Annex I.  As is made clear in the Agreed Framework,  Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) are not meant to 
create any sub -category of Members.  Bearing that principle in mind, the following Members could also be 
deemed to be eligible for this treatment, should they choose to avail themselves of it, despite not being members of the SVE Group per se  given that this treatment could be deemed  to be broadly comparably appropriate:  
Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria (plus other Members that can provide data that show that they 
meet the criteria in paragraph 147) .  Additionally, Bolivia shall have access, exceptionally, to treatment 
equivalent to that provided for in paragraph 142.  As an exception, Suriname shall rebind its agricultural tariffs 
on a line by line basis at the level of the average bound tariff of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, 
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevi s, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and 
Trinidad and Tobago resulting from these modalities. 
22 See Annex F.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 19 
 
 
  development.  There shall be 12 per cent of tariff lines available for self-designation as 
Special Products.  Up to 5 per cent of lines may have no cut.  The overall average cut shall, in 
any case, be 11 per cent.* 
*  A number of developing country Members  have expressed reservations concerning the numbers 
specified in this paragraph, noting also that this may be affected by what is decided in other areas of 
the text. 
130. In the case of small vulnerable economies, including those among them which are 
ceiling binding and homogenously low binding countries, they may, if they choose to do so, 
apply the moderated tariff tiered formula for SV Es provided for in paragraph 65 above plus 
the Special Product entitlement outlined above.  A lternatively, they may chose not to apply 
the tiered formula but simply meet an overa ll average cut of 24 per cent through having in 
effect opted to designate as many tariff lines as they choose as Special Products.  The tariff 
lines so chosen need not be subject to any mini mum tariff cut and need not be guided by the 
indicators.  
Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) 
 
144. [In the case of SVE's referred to in f ootnote 11 (see footnote 20 of this compilation) 
to these modalities, they may apply the maximu m remedy provided for above even if this 
would otherwise entail breach of a pre-Doha bound tariff, provided that the maximum 
increase over a pre-Doha bound tariff does not exceed 20 ad valorem  percentage points or 20 
per cent of the current bound tariff, whichever is  higher, for up to a maximum of (10-15) per 
cent of tariff lines in any given period.  This  would be provided that  all other relevant 
conditions for application of th e measure have been met.  
145. For developing country Members other th an those referred to in the preceding 
paragraph, they may apply the maximum reme dy provided for above even if this would 
otherwise entail breach of a pre-Doha bound ta riff provided that (a) the maximum increase 
over the pre-Doha bound tariffs would be no more than 15 ad valorem  percentage points or 15 
per cent of the current bound tariff, whichever is the higher; (b) the maximum number of 
products for which this provision would be invoked would be no more than 2-623 in any given 
period; and (c) this would not be permissible for two consecutive periods. All other provisions 
would be applicable.]  
G. SMALL , VULNERABLE ECONOMIES  
157. For the purposes of this Agreement, th is term applies to Members with economies 
that, in the period 1999 to 2004, had an average share of (a) world merchandise trade of no 
more than 0.16 per cent or less, and (b) world trade in non-agricultural products of no more 
than 0.1 per cent and (c) world trade in agricultural products of no more than 0.4 per cent.  
158. Developed country Member s and developing country Members in a position to do so 
shall provide enhanced improvements in market access for products of export interest to 
Members with small, vulnerable economies. 
159. More specific provisions are to be foun d in relevant sections of this document. 
                                                      
23 For the purposes of this provision a "product" is  identifiable at the 6-digit level of the Harmonized 
System (HS) nomenclature, but with the understanding that this can entail a maximum of [4 - 8] tariff lines 
per product  below that 6-digit level. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 20  
 
  B. 
LATEST SVE SUBMISSIONS   
2. Flexibilities in the Agricultural Modaliti es on the Pillars of Domestic Support and 
Export Competition, Communication by th e Group of Small and Vulnerable Economies 
(SVEs) - JOB/AG/16 (24 March 2011) 
1. This proposal is submitted with the obj ective of securing flexibilities for those Small 
Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), including non resi dent delegations, that are not currently 
listed as Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs).24 
 2. The SVEs believe that in the agricultura l negotiations, the special circumstances and 
characteristics of our members should be taken into account, in compliance with the mandate 
outlined in paragraph 35 of the Doha Minister ial Declaration which refers to the Work 
Program on Small Economies, as well as pa ragraph 41 of the Hong Kong, Ministerial 
Declaration which Ministers instruct the Dedicated Session of the CTD to "monitor progress 
of the small economies' proposals in the negotiating and other bodies, with the aim of 
providing responses to the trade-related issu es of small economies as soon as possible" . 
 
3. It is widely acknowledged that the Agri culture sector remains a major component of 
economic activity in rural areas in developing countries, especially the smallest among them.  It generates employment, meets food security objectives, and can be a vital source of foreign exchange earnings.  In this sense, the importan ce of obtaining flexibilities for our members in 
the pillars of domestic support and export competition becomes an essential part of the 
balance that we are seeking from these negotiations. 
 4. In contrast with the considerable distorting support provided by some Members, our countries are amongst those who have given re latively small amounts of support to their 
agricultural sector although an important per centage of it is represented by small and 
subsistence farmers.  In most cases this is due to the financial constraints faced by our 
countries which prevent us from providing subsidies to our farmers, as well as the constraints derived from the Uruguay Round, in this area, for small countries like ours.  In this sense, we 
believe that there are some flexibilities in  the pillars of domes tic support and export 
competition that should also be granted to our countries, in order to achieve a balanced 
outcome. 
 
5. In putting our proposal forward, we woul d like to stress that our countries recognize 
the enormous amount of work which has gone in to the agriculture negotiations and believe 
that the current Draft Modalities contained in document TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4 are a good reflection of the work that has been done in this area throughout the years. 
 
6. In this sense, we would not be seeking to  reopen whole issues, but that the flexibility 
that we are pursuing can be reflected in the form of footnotes as presented below, as has been utilized before in the text.  We believe that th is proposal will not harm in any way the balance 
of these negotiations as members of our group represent a very small share of global agricultural trade. 
 
                                                      
24 Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, 
Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea and Suriname.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 21 
 
 
  Specific proposals: 
 
Paragraph 10, amend the footnote as follows:  
 
"2 Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia,  Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), El Salvador, 
Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, Nicaragua,  Nigeria,  Suriname  and 
Swaziland shall have access also to this provision."  
Paragraph 50, include a footnote as follows:  
 " … .  For least-developed country Members and for NFIDCs these limits shall be 75 per cent 
and 25 per cent respectively.*"  
* Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, 
Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, Nicaragua, and Suriname shall have access 
also to this provision.  
 
Paragraph 180, amend the footnote as follows:  
 
"29 Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), El Salvador, 
Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, Nicaragua,  Nigeria, Papua New 
Guinea, Suriname  and Swaziland shall have access also to this provision." 
 
Annex J Paragraph 5, include a footnote as follows:  
 
"5.  Notwithstanding the terms of paragraphs 3(a) and 4(a) above, Least-developed and net 
food-importing developing countries as listed in G/AG/5/Rev.8 shall be accorded differential 
and more favourable treatment comprising allowa nce for a repayment term in respect of them 
of between 360 and 540 days for the acquisition of basic foodstuffs*…" 
 
* Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, 
Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea and Suriname 
shall have access also to this provision. 
 
Annex L Paragraph 12, include  a footnote as follows:  
 
"12.  Monetization of in-kind food aid in non- emergency situations shall be prohibited except 
where it is in conformity with the provisions of paragraph 11 above and, as a means to meet 
direct nutritional requirements of least-devel oped and net food-impor ting developing country 
members*, it is necessary to fund the internal transportation and delivery of the food aid to, or 
the procurement of agricultural inputs to low- income or resource-poor producers in, those 
Members."  
* Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, 
Guatemala, Guyana, Maldives, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea and Suriname 
shall have access also to this provision. 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 22  
 
  3. The Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) Modalities to Apply to Small Vulnerable 
Economies (SVEs), Communication by the Group of Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs)
25, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, and the African Group26 - 
JOB/AG/17 (24 March 2011) 
1. The Group of Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), the African, Caribbean and 
Pacific (ACP) Group, and the African Group take  note of documents TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4 and 
TN/AG/W/7 prepared by the former Chairman  of the Committee on Agriculture (Special 
Session), Ambassador Crawford Falconer.  The Gr oups acknowledge the efforts of the current 
Chair, Ambassador David Walker, to find bala nced solutions in the framework of the 
Agriculture negotiations. 
2. It should nonetheless be recalled that the G-33, on behalf of the SVEs, made a 
submission in February 2009 (TN/AG/GEN/29) which sought, among other things, to address 
the issues raised in paragra ph 5(b) of the document TN/AG/W/7 on the SSM.  It remains the 
case that the specific modalities to be ap plied to SVEs have not been discussed. 
3. The SVEs, ACP, and the African Group Members wish to recall that, since July 2008, 
there have not been any real discussions rega rding the specific treatment for SVEs on the 
SSM.  Since that time, on behalf of its SVEs  Members, the G-33 presented two documents 
regarding the treatment for the SV Es within the SSM.  These are:  TN/AG/GEN/29, " G-33 
Proposal on the Treatment of SSM Provided to the SVEs ", dated 10 February 2009 and 
JOB/AG/6, " G-33 Submission on the SSM: Flexibilities for SVEs ", dated 4 March 2010.  
These submissions should be read in conjunction with the present document. 
4. It has been the understanding of the SVEs, ACP, and the African Group Members 
that emphasis would first be on finding a solution for developing countries, in general, before 
proceeding to outline the specific treatment for the SVEs, taking into account that it has 
generally been recognized by the WTO membersh ip that SVEs should have more flexible 
treatment within the SSM. 
5. The SVEs, ACP, and the African Group present this document to clarify the position 
of the SVEs on various elements of the SSM an d in order to address s ub-paragraphs 5(b) and 
(c) of document TN/AG/W/7 and is without prej udice to the positions regarding the general 
solution for other developing countries.  This su bmission is made pursuant to the mandate of 
paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial D eclaration and paragra ph 42 of the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Declaration, to frame responses to the trade-related issues identified for the fuller 
integration of the SVEs into the multilateral trading system. 
6. The rationale and structure of the SSM shoul d be agreed on the basis of the elements 
contained in the document TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4.  Whilst some of the paragraphs on the SSM 
are unbracketed, important gaps remain, including in respect of the treatment for the SVEs.  
In that regard, any future revised draft m odalities should include the following elements in 
order to close those gaps and address the needs of SVEs: 
                                                      
25 This submission is without prejudice to the nego tiating positions of the Gr oup of Least-Developed 
Countries.  It is recognised that, in accordance with th e established principle of differentiated treatment, LDCs 
shall have more flexible treatment than SVEs. 
26 This submission is without prejudice to the ne gotiating positions of the SVEs, ACP and the African 
Group.  Countries reserve the right to submit further proposals elaborating on Group or individual needs. 
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 23 
 
 
  New Paragraph 133 bis 
In the case of SVEs referred to in footnot e 11 to these modalities, the volume-based SSM 
shall be applied on the basis of a rolling average of imports in the preceding three-year period 
for which data are available (hereafter "base imports ").  On this basis, the applicable triggers 
and remedies shall be set as follows: 
(a) where the volume of imports during any year exceeds 110 per cent but does 
not exceed 115 per cent of base imports, the maximum additional duty that may be imposed shall not exceed 25 per cen t of the current bound tariff or 25 
percentage points, whichever is higher; 
(b) where the volume of imports during any year exceeds 115 per cent but does 
not exceed 120 per cent of base imports, the maximum additional duty that may be imposed shall not exceed 40 per cen t of the current bound tariff or 40 
percentage points, whichever is higher; 
(c) where the volume of imports during any year exceeds 120 per cent of base 
imports, the maximum additional duty that may be imposed shall not exceed 
50 per cent of the current bound tariff or  50 percentage points, whichever is 
higher. 
The above triggers and remedies shall apply notwithstanding that the pre-Doha bound rate 
may be breached, subject to th e limitation in paragraph 144. 
New Paragraph 135 bis 
In the case of SVEs referred to in footnote 11 to these modalities, the price-based SSM shall 
be applicable where the c.i.f. import price of th e shipment entering the customs territory of the 
SVEs Member concerned, expressed in terms of  its domestic currency falls below a trigger 
price equal to 90 per cent of the average price fo r that product for the most recent three-year 
period preceding the year of importation for which data is available, provided that, where the 
Member’s domestic currency, has at the time of importation, depreciated by at least 10 per cent over the preceding 12 months against the in ternational currency or currencies against 
which it is normally valued the import price sh all be computed using the average exchange 
rate of the domestic currency against such inte rnational currency or currencies for the three-
year period referred to above. 
New Paragraph 136 bis 
In the case of SVEs referred to in footnote 11 to these modalities, the price-based SSM 
remedy shall apply on a shipment-by-shipment basis.  The additional duty shall not exceed the 
difference between the import price of the shipment concerned and the reference27 price. 
New Paragraph 138 bis 
In the case of SVEs referred to in footnote 11 to these modalities, paragraph 138 shall not be 
applicable. 
                                                      
27 See Footnote 26 of TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 24  
 
  Paragraph 144 
 In the case of SVEs referred to in footnot e 11 to these modalities, they may apply the 
maximum remedy provided for above even if this would otherwise entail breach of a pre-
Doha bound tariff, provided that the maximum increase over a pre-Doha bound tariff does not 
exceed 75 ad valorem  percentage points or 75 per cent of the bound tariff, whichever is 
higher, for up to a maximum of 30 per cent of tariff lines in any given period.  This would be provided that all other relevant conditions fo r application of the measure have been met.
28 
                                                      
28 The Plurinational State of Bolivia is not in a position to support these numbers at this stage and 
remains with the pre-July 2008 position of the Group.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 25 
 
 
  ANNEX I 
SMALL, VULNERABLE ECONOMIES 
 
1. The data are based on the methodology that was used to prepare a previous 
Secretariat paper on shares of WTO Members in world non-agricultural trade, 1999-2004 
(TN/MA/S/18).  Individual Members' data were  extracted from the United Nations Comtrade 
database on 6 June 2007.  World export and import totals, excluding significant re-exports 
were taken from the Secretariat's International Trade Statistics Report 2006.  This time period has been updated to 2000-2005 and a cif-fob adjustme nt has been applied to world exports by 
commodity group to derive respective world imports, but this does not change the overall 
results
29.  The country averages are calculated on th e basis of the years for which data are 
available.  
2. A small, vulnerable economy is defined as one whose average share for the period 
1999-2004 (a) of world merchandise trade does not exceed 0.16 per cent and (b) of world NAMA trade does not exceed 0.10 per cent and (c) of world agricultural trade does not 
exceed 0.40 per cent. 
3. The attached table does not include those Members that are defined as 
least-developed countries by the United Nations Economic and Social Council and those Members for which no data are available. 
  
                                                      
29 Cif-fob factors were estimated based on the ratio of imports to exports for a matched group of 
reporters in Comtrade.  World imports by commodity group were derived by applying these cif-fob factors to the WTO's world exports by commodity group and ali gning the resulting figures to the WTO's world total 
imports  Intra-trade of the 25 EC member St ates was then subtracted from the totals.  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 26  Share of total merchandise trade 
(%) Share of world agriculture (AOA) 
trade (%)  Share of non-agriculture (NAMA) 
trade (%) 
WTO Member Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports 
Worlda 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 
Albania 0.019 0.008 0.029 0.050 0.008 0.087 0.017 0.008 0.026 
Antigua and Barbuda 0.004 0.001 0.007 0.011 0.000 0.020 0.004 0.001 0.006 
Armenia 0.015 0.010 0.019 0.040 0.018 0.060 0.013 0.010 0.016 
Barbados 0.013 0.005 0.020 0.037 0.022 0.050 0.011 0.004 0.019 
Belize 0.006 0.004 0.008 0.023 0.029 0.017 0.004 0.001 0.007 
Bolivia 0.032 0.032 0.032 0.102 0.143 0.065 0.028 0.025 0.030 
Botswana 0.057 0.061 0.053 0.075 0.030 0.116 0.056 0.065 0.048 
Brunei Darussalam 0.050 0.078 0.025 0.029 0.000 0.056 0.053 0.086 0.023 
Cameroon 0.036 0.038 0.035 0.112 0.140 0.087 0.032 0.032 0.032 
Cuba 0.063 0.034 0.089 0.240 0.223 0.256 0.052 0.022 0.080 
Dominica 0.002 0.001 0.002 0.007 0.005 0.008 0.001 0.001 0.002 
Dominican Rep. 0.068 0.018 0.113 0.154 0.115 0.189 0.063 0.011 0.111 
Ecuador 0.110 0.112 0.108 0.326 0.515 0.154 0.098 0.087 0.107 
El Salvador 0.051 0.026 0.075 0.173 0.136 0.206 0.044 0.018 0.068 
Fiji 0.014 0.010 0.018 0.047 0.055 0.040 0.012 0.007 0.017 
FYR Macedonia 0.033 0.026 0.039 0.076 0.069 0.083 0.027 0.024 0.030 
Gabon 0.031 0.046 0.017 0.026 0.004 0.046 0.032 0.051 0.015 
Georgia 0.014 0.009 0.020 0.052 0.044 0.060 0.012 0.006 0.018 
Ghana 0.057 0.044 0.067 0.221 0.302 0.144 0.047 0.027 0.063 
Grenada 0.003 0.001 0.004 0.009 0.006 0.012 0.002 0.001 0.004 
Guatemala 0.086 0.053 0.116 0.319 0.416 0.231 0.072 0.030 0.110 
Guyana 0.010 0.009 0.010 0.037 0.052 0.024 0.008 0.007 0.010 
Honduras 0.041 0.026 0.056 0.190 0.223 0.160 0.032 0.013 0.049 
Jamaica 0.044 0.024 0.063 0.114 0.091 0.136 0.040 0.020 0.059 
Jordan 0.079 0.052 0.104 0.198 0.120 0.269 0.071 0.049 0.092 
Kenya 0.052 0.037 0.065 0.215 0.314 0.126 0.041 0.019 0.062  
   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6
 Page 27 Share of total merchandise trade 
(%) Share of world agriculture (AOA) 
trade (%)  Share of non-agriculture (NAMA) 
trade (%) 
WTO Member Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports Total 
(exports + 
imports Exports Imports 
Kyrgyzstan 0.011 0.010 0.012 0.029 0.032 0.026 0.010 0.009 0.011 
Macao, China 0.049 0.049 0.048 0.055 0.013 0.093 0.050 0.053 0.046 
Mauritius 0.037 0.032 0.041 0.096 0.102 0.090 0.034 0.028 0.038 
Moldova 0.018 0.013 0.022 0.089 0.132 0.051 0.013 0.006 0.021 
Mongolia 0.013 0.011 0.014 0.025 0.017 0.033 0.012 0.011 0.013 
Namibia 0.030 0.030 0.029 0.072 0.073 0.070 0.028 0.028 0.027 
Nicaragua 0.023 0.012 0.034 0.102 0.129 0.079 0.018 0.004 0.031 
Panama 0.038 0.016 0.059 0.105 0.091 0.114 0.035 0.011 0.056 
Papua New Guinea 0.032 0.042 0.023 0.070 0.086 0.056 0.030 0.040 0.022 
Paraguay 0.032 0.022 0.042 0.173 0.280 0.077 0.023 0.005 0.040 
Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.002 0.001 0.003 0.006 0.002 0.009 0.002 0.001 0.003 
Saint Lucia 0.004 0.001 0.006 0.016 0.009 0.022 0.003 0.001 0.005 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.002 0.001 0.003 0.011 0.009 0.012 0.002 0.000 0.003 
Sri Lanka 0.102 0.092 0.112 0.249 0.284 0.217 0.095 0.081 0.107 
Suriname 0.009 0.009 0.011 0.017 0.007 0.027 0.009 0.009 0.010 
Swaziland 0.019 0.018 0.019 0.068 0.082 0.056 0.015 0.014 0.016 
Trinidad and Tobago 0.086 0.102 0.071 0.086 0.072 0.098 0.088 0.107 0.071 
Uruguay 0.047 0.044 0.050 0.209 0.333 0.096 0.037 0.025 0.048 
Zimbabwe 0.037 0.037 0.039 0.151 0.280 0.067 0.030 0.021 0.037 
 
 a  Excludes intra-EC trade (25 member  States) and significant re-exports. 
Source : All data are from the United Nations Comtrade databa se except for world totals, which are WTO estimates.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 28  
 
  V. NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS FOR NON-AGRICULTURAL 
PRODUCTS 
A. 
CURRENT MODALITIES DRAFT  
1. Fourth Revision of Draft Modalities fo r Non-Agricultural Market Access – 
TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3 (6 December 2008) 
Small, Vulnerable Economies 
13. With the exception of developed Members,  those Members having a share of less than 
0.1 percent of world NAMA trade for the reference period of 1999 to 2001 or best 
available data as contained in document TN/MA/S/18 may apply the following modality 
of tariff reduction instead of the formula moda lity which is contained in paragraphs 5, 6 
and 7 above.  
 
(a) Members with a bound tariff average of non-agricultural tariff lines30:  
 
(i) at or above 50 per cent shall bind all of their non-agricultural tariff lines at an 
average level that does not exceed an overall average of 30 per cent; 
(ii) at or above 30 per cent but below 50 per cent shall bind all their non-agricultural 
tariff lines at an average level that does not exceed an overall average of 
27 per cent;   
(iii) at or above 20 per cent but below 30 shall bind all their non-agricultural tariff 
lines at an average level that does not exceed an overall average 18 per cent;  and 
(iv) below 20 per cent, shall apply a minimum line-by-line reduction of 5 per cent on 
95 per cent of all non-agricultural tariff lin es or bind at the overall average that 
would result from that line-by-line reduction.    
 As an exception, Bolivia shall not be requi red but is encouraged to apply the modalities 
in paragraph 13.  
 
As an exception, Fiji shall be deemed to fall under (a)(i). 
 
As an exception, Gabon shall engage in GA TT Article XXVIII negotiations to reach the 
overall target average of 20 per cent.  
 
(b) All tariff lines shall be bound on 1 January of  the year following the entry into force of 
the DDA results at initial bound rates.  As an exception, Fiji shall have the flexibility to 
maintain 10 per cent of non-agricultural tariff lines unbound.   
 
(c) The initial bound rates shall be establishe d as follows: for bound tariff lines the existing 
bindings shall be used, and for unbound tariff lines the Member subject to this modality 
will determine the level of the initial binding of those tariff lines.   
 
                                                      
30 See document TN/MA/S/4 and Corr.1 for the bound tariff averages of Members.    WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 29 
 
 
  (d) The overall binding target average sha ll be made effective at the end of the 
implementation period as follows:  the tariff re ductions shall be impl emented in 11 equal 
rate reductions.  The first reduction shall be implemented on 1 January of the year 
following the entry into force of the DDA r esults and each successive reduction shall be 
made effective on 1 January of each of th e following years, except for lines covered 
under 13(e) where the first reduction shall be  implemented on 1 January of the year 
following completion of the grace period.  
 
(e) For those Recently Acceded Members applying this modality, a grace period of 3 years 
shall be applied on those lines on whic h accession commitments are not fully 
implemented before entry into force of th e DDA results.  This grace period shall begin as 
of the date of full implementation of the accession commitment on that tariff line.  
 
(f) All duties shall be bound on an ad valorem  basis.  Existing bindings on a non ad valorem  
basis shall be converted to ad valorem  equivalents on the basis of  the methodology 
outlined in document TN/MA/20. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 30  
 
  B. 
LATEST SVE SUBMISSIONS  
1. Contribution to the Special and Different ial Treatment and Technical Assistance 
Provisions on the "Horizontal Mechanism", Co mmunication from El Salvador on behalf 
of Small Vulnerable, Economies - JOB/MA/89 (19 April 2011) 
Special and Differential Treatment 
 
Paragraph 7 bis 
 
SVE's shall be granted an additional period of  [40] days to present the written response, 
referred to in paragraph 7 of this Decision. 
 
General conditions on Special and Differential Treatment 
 
The Horizontal Mechanism shall not be applicab le in so far as SVEs are concerned, until two 
years after the beginning of the implementation period.  
 
Technical Assistance 
 
Technical assistance 
 
1.  Members agree that technical assistance in using the mechanism shall be provided to 
SVEs.  It shall take the following forms:  
 
(i)  In case of a requesting Member, necessary assistance for the formulation of a 
request and assessment of possible solutions. 
 
(ii)      In the case of a responding Memb er, appropriate assistance to analyze the 
request received, for the formulation of responses and exploration of possible solutions.  
 
General conditions of Technical Assistance 
 2.  Technical assistance under this paragraph shall be (a) demand driven (b) available at 
all the stages of the procedure and (c) fully take into account the rights and obligations of 
Members under the WTO Agreement. 
 
3. Implementation of technical assistance and/or capacity building agreed as part of a mutually agreed solution shall be monitore d by the Committee on Trade and Development. 
 
4.  The WTO Secretariat shall incorporate these Procedures into its technical assistance 
and capacity building programmes re lated to non-tariff measures. 
 
2. Questions to the co-sponsors of  the proposal of  "Ministerial Decision on procedures for 
the facilitation of solutions to Non-Tariff Barriers", Communication from the group of 
small vulnerable economies – JOB/MA/55 (3 November 2010) 
1) While understanding that the objective of th is mechanism is to establish procedures 
of a conciliatory nature, with a view to prom oting mutually acceptable solutions to Members' 
concerns regarding non-tariff barriers, we unde rstand that SVEs may be frequently targeted 
through this mechanism as many have limite d export base and therefore, imports play an 
important part of their trade. In this rega rd, would proponents envisage special consideration 
for SVEs in the application of the Mechanism?   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 31 
 
 
   
2) Do proponents envisage the possibility of extending the period of response contained in Article 7 of the Decision, taking into account the limited resources of some countries and the process of internal consultations that shoul d take place once the mechanism is invoked, as 
one possible provision of SDT? 
 
3) Given that Article 12.2 of the SPS Agre ement already contemplates a consultation 
mechanism for the resolution of SPS trade rela ted measures, and since the SPS Committee is 
already discussing its implementation, what is the relationship of the Horizontal Mechanism 
with the SPS mechanism that is  currently being discussed?  
 
3. Questions to the co-sponsors of  the proposal of  "Negotiating Text on Liberalizing 
Trade in Remanufactured Goods", Communicati on from the group of small vulnerable 
economies – JOB/MA/56 (3 November 2010) 
1) It is noted that the proponents have i ndicated that remanufacturing is a growing area 
for many developing countries. However, ma ny SVEs comprise small delegations, have 
capacity constraints and, in some cases are not  represented in Geneva. How do the proponents 
envision that the creation of an additional Work Programme under the WTO structure can facilitate SVEs' participation in this area?  2) Is it envisaged that the Work Pr ogramme on Remanufacturing would have a 
previously agreed review period to ensure th at it is working properly, that the original 
intentions are being met and that small countri es are able to participate effectively in the 
Work Programme?  3) Within the possible implementation of this decision, how do proponents envisage the 
issues of capacity building and transfer of technology for developing countries, including 
SVEs to ensure that they effec tively benefit from this decision? 
 4) Given that remanufacturing incorporates "product life extension" processes for goods that are at the end of their life-cycle, can the proponents elaborate on environmental impact on 
remanufacturing products? What are the propone nts views on environmental levies to ensure 
that used and remanufactured products do not po se harm to the health and environment of 
SVEs?   5) How do the proponents envisage the implementation of these modalities for remanufactured goods insofar as there is no intent  to have a separate tariff line for such 
products? How is it envisioned that domestic Cu stoms authorities would differentiate between 
goods that are remanufactured and those that are re-used, repaired, reconditioned, refurbished, 
etc? In order to facilitate the considerati on of this proposal taking into account the 
aforementioned, is an eventual definition/ identification of remanufacturing tariff lines 
envisioned?  
6) Given that different countries have di fferent consumer protection legislation 
regarding warranties and conditions of re turn, could the proponents elaborate on the 
envisioned process where importers act as re-dis tributors for goods?   Will such entail greater 
burden on regulatory authorities in small devel oping countries? Is there a possible mechanism 
to minimise any poten tial additional burden? 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 32  
 
  7) Taking into account the importance of the exceptions contained in Article XX of 
GATT 1994 to protect health and life of peopl e and the conservation of scarce natural 
resources, amongst others, would proponents cons ider the possibility of including a reference 
in the body of the decision in the sense that "nothing in this decision shall undermine 
Members' rights and obligations  under Article XX of GATT 1994"?  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 33 
 
 
  VI. COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SE RVICES SPECIAL SESSION 
A. CURRENT DRAFT TEXT  
1. Elements Required for the Completion of the Services Negotiations, Report by the 
Chairman - TN/S/34 (28 July 2008) 31 
ANNEX 
 
Elements Required for the Completion of the Services Negotiations 
 
10. Members shall continue to give due c onsideration to proposals on trade-related 
concerns of small economies.  In recognizing th eir special situation, further liberalization 
shall be in accordance with their development needs. 
                                                      
31 At the meeting of the Special Session on 23 July 2008, the delegations of Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua 
and Venezuela expressed their disagreement with this annex and requested that their position be registered.  For 
that purpose, the following text has been provided by the delegation of Venezuela on behalf of Bolivia, Cuba 
and Nicaragua, with the request that it appear in this Annex.  It has not been subject to any discussion by other delegations at the Special Session. 
"There is no consensus on a new text on services.  Various delegations consider that there is no 
mandate to agree on elements that go beyond the points agreed by all Me mbers in the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Declaration and that there is no obligation to make commitm ents at the highest possible level. Any language that 
modifies Members' current obligations has no binding fo rce.  However, there is total agreement on immediate 
implementation of any treatment in favour of the l east developed countries and the small and vulnerable 
economies." 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 34  
 
  VII. WORKING PARTY ON DOMESTIC REGULATION 
1. Services - Trade-Related Concerns of Sma ll, Vulnerable Economies in the Working 
Party on Domestic Regulation - JOB(06)/66/Rev.2 (10 July 2006) 
Proponents:  Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados , Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, 
El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mauritius, Mongolia, 
Nicaragua, Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadi nes and Trinidad and 
Tobago.  
Small, vulnerable economies r ecommend that the following elements be included in any 
future disciplines on domestic regulation in services.  
III. RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF SMALL, 
VULNERABLE ECONOMIES 
A. 
GENERAL PRINCIPLES  
 
(i) These disciplines shall not affect nor limit a Member's right to regulate, and 
shall not prevent or prescribe the development and adoption of future 
legislation to meet Members' national policy objectives. 
(ii) Developing country Members shall implement the disciplines that require 
adjustment of existing domestic re gulation and/or the adoption of new 
implementation mechanisms to the extent  consistent with their financial, 
administrative and institutional capabili ties and according to their size and 
level of development.  
(iii) Developing country Members shall be accorded adequate  time frames to 
upgrade their legislative, regulatory, administrative and institutional capacity to implement these disciplines.  Members shall provide technical assistance and capacity-building assistance in order to help developing country 
Members to develop such capacity.  
(iv) These disciplines shall apply to a Member's  measures only to the extent that 
these affect sectors, sub-sectors and modes of supply covered by the respective Member's schedule of commitments. 
(v) These disciplines shall not prevent a Member from establishing measures or 
mechanisms to support the developmen t of regional economic integration. 
B. 
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS  
 
(i) The establishment of qualification requirements by the competent authorities 
shall not be limited to the recognition and verification of specific diplomas, 
test scores or the like, but shall incl ude where possible, the opportunity to 
fulfil such requirements by the recognition and  verification of relevant  
experience and other education methods for establishing a provider's competence to supply the respective services. 
(ii) To ensure that qualification require ments do not in themselves constitute 
barriers to trade, Members shall provide technical assistance and capacity  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 35 
 
 
  building assistance in order to help developing country Members and their 
suppliers meet such requirements. 
C. QUALIFICATION PROCEDURES  
 
(i) Fees charged by the competent authorities should not be an impediment in 
themselves to practising the relevant activity.  Developing country Members 
are not precluded from recovering fees where fees are utilised to meet national policy objectives. 
(ii) Procedures for the verification of qua lifications shall be limited to those 
required to establish the minimum qua lifications required for supplying the 
service. 
(iii) Members shall ensure that its competent authorities provide for clear and 
practical mechanisms for recognizing as being comparable, education or 
experience obtained, requirements met, or licences or certifications granted in the territory of another Member.  
(iv) To ensure that qualification proce dures do not in themselves constitute 
barriers to trade, Members shall provide technical assistance and capacity building assistance in order to help developing country Members and their 
suppliers meet such procedures. 
D. 
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS  
 
(i) Fees charged by the competent authorities should not be an impediment in 
themselves to practising the relevant activity.  Developing country Members 
are not precluded from recovering fees where fees are utilised to meet national policy objectives. 
(ii) To ensure that licensing requirements do not in themselves constitute barriers 
to trade, Members shall provide technical assistance and capacity building 
assistance in order to help developing  country Members and their suppliers 
meet such requirements. 
E. 
LICENSING PROCEDURES  
 
(i) Members shall ensure that licensing procedures applied by its competent 
authorities are of minimal complexity and entail minimal costs for meeting 
requirements and fulfilling procedures for entry into export markets.  Members may grant reduced licensing and other related fees to service providers from developing country Members.  
(ii) To ensure that licensing procedures do not in themselves constitute barriers to 
trade, Members shall provide technical assistance and capacity building 
assistance in order to help developing  country Members and their suppliers 
meet such procedures. 
F. 
TECHNICAL STANDARDS  
 
(i) Members shall in reasonable time publish a notice in a publication, print or 
electronic, and notify other Members through the Secretariat, of the WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 36  
 
  establishment and application of measures relating to national or international 
technical standards relating to services and service providers. 
(ii) Members shall, where requested, grant other Members, especially developing 
country Members, technical assistance on mutually agreed terms and conditions regarding the establishment of technical standards and 
participation in the international sta ndardizing bodies in the area of services. 
(iii) As a matter of good practice, Members involved in the development and 
application of measures relating to pl urilateral standards, and standards 
developed and applied by non-governme ntal standardisation bodies should 
ensure maximum transparency of relevant processes for the benefit of other 
Members.  
G. 
TRANSPARENCY  
 
(i) Members shall ensure access for servi ce suppliers of other Members to 
relevant information on legislative, regulatory and administrative measures 
relating to qualification requirements and procedures, licensing requirements 
and procedures, and technical standards.  
(ii) Members shall ensure the establishment of appropriate, transparent and 
accessible administrative and judicial channels for reviewing decisions. 
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 37 
 
 
  VIII.  NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES 
A. CURRENT DRAFT TEXT  
1. Textual Proposal for Additional Flexibilities for Small and Vulnerable Economies 
Under Article III of the Proposed Draft Chair's Text On Fisheries Subsidies – 
TN/RL/GEN/162/Rev.1 (20 April 2011) 
 I. INTRODUCTION 
 
1. The co-sponsors of this proposal are all proponents of the WTO Work Programme on Small Economies which has its mandate in Paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial 
Declaration
32 and Paragraph 41 of the H ong Kong Ministerial Mandate.33  The co-sponsors 
recall WTO document TN/RL/W/242 which represen ts the statement delivered by Barbados 
on behalf of Small and Vulnerable Economie s (SVEs) under item 15 (c) of the Chair's 
roadmap for discussions on fisheries subsidies (Annex VIII, TN/RL/W/236).   
2. SVEs recall the Hong Kong mandate for fi sheries subsidies, which calls on Members 
to "strengthen disciplines on subsidies in the fisheries sector, including  through the 
prohibition of  certain  forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and over-
fishing ...".  We also recall the Chair's road map for discussions which calls on the Negotiating 
Group to "work to identify those subsidies that contribute to overcapacity of over-fishing, 
with a view to determining which of these should and should not be prohibited , while 
considering at the same time how to effectively address the needs and particularities of 
developing members ".   
3. SVEs highlight the following special char acteristics and peculiarities of SVEs, in the 
fisheries context:   
- As per data presented in Annex I of th is proposal, a majority of the SVEs 
have a share of global marine wild capture less than 0.1 per cent.  The magnitude of subsidies typically provided by SVEs is small and, at this stage 
in their development, many SVEs are not even in a position to provide 
subsidies.  In this context, it is well-known that SVEs have a negligible 
impact on overcapacity and overfishing.   
- In contrast, several SVEs are characterised by heavy economic dependence 
on the fisheries sector.  Thus, any disciplines would have profound 
                                                      
32 "We agree to a work programme, under the auspices of the General Council, to examine issues 
relating to the trade of small economies .  The objective of this work is to frame responses to the trade-related 
issues identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, 
and not to create a sub-category of WTO Members.  The General Council shall review the work programme and 
make recommendations for action to the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference."   
33 "We reaffirm our commitment to the Work Programme on Small Economies and urge Members to 
adopt specific measures that would facilitate the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, without creating a sub-categor y of WTO Members.  We take note of the report of 
the Committee on Trade and Development in Dedicated Session on the Work Programme on Small Economies 
to the General Council and agree to the recommendations on future work.  We instruct the Committee on Trade and Development, under the overall responsibility of the General Council, to continue the work in the Dedicated 
Session and to monitor progress of the small economies' proposals in the negotiating and other bodies, with the 
aim of providing responses to the trade-related issues of small economies as soon as possible but no later than 31 December 2006.  We instruct the General Council to re port on progress and action taken, together with any 
further recommendations as appropriate, to our next Session."   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 38  
 
  implications for the maintenance of basic livelihoods, economic survival and 
sustainable development.   
- SVEs require the necessary policy space to provide subsidies of small 
magnitudes in the future, to be better equipped to harvest their own resources, 
within sustainable limits. 
4. SVEs reiterate their commitment towards finding fair solutions in the debate on 
fisheries subsidies negotiations.  We believe th at those Members that have had a history of 
providing the highest magnitude of harmful subs idies should bear the greatest burden in these 
disciplines.   
5. The SVEs have attempted to incorporat e their special circumstances in the current 
architecture of the proposed Chair's text
34, as is proposed in Section II below, for the 
consideration of all Members.   
 II. PROPOSED TEXTUAL REVISIONS TO ARTICLE III.2(B) OF CHAIR'S 
TEXT, ANNEX VIII, TN/RL/W/213 
 
(b) In addition, subject to the provisions of Article V:   
 
(1) Subsidies referred to in Articles I. 1(d), I.1(e) and I.1(f) shall not be 
prohibited.   
 
(2) (i) Subsidies referred to in Article I.1( a) and I.1(c) shall not be prohibited 
provided that they are used exclusively for marine wild capture fishing 
employing decked vessels not greater than 10 meters or 34 feet in length overall, or undecked vessels of any length.  OR 
 
 (ii) Subsidies referred to in Article I.1(a) and Article I.1(c) should not be 
prohibited for those developing country Members whose percentage 
share in world NAMA trade is not more than 0.1 per cent and whose 
percentage share of global marine wild capture is not more than 1 per 
cent.   
 
 (3) For fishing and service vessels of such Members other than the vessels 
referred to in paragraph (b)(2), subsidies referred to in Article I.1(a) shall not 
be prohibited provided that (i) the vessels are used exclusively for marine wild capture fishing activities of such  Members in respect of particular, 
identified target stocks within their Exclusive Economic Zones ("EEZ");  (ii) 
those stocks have been subject to pr ior scientific status assessment conducted 
in accordance with relevant internationa l standards, aimed at ensuring that the 
resulting capacity does not exceed a sustainable level;  and (iii) that assessment has been subject to peer review in the relevant body of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ("FAO").
35   
 
                                                      
34 For ease of reference, textual changes proposed by SVEs in this document are in bold and underlined 
form and elements of the Draft Chair's text repli cated here are not presented in underlined form.   
35 If the Member in question is not a member of the FAO, the peer review shall take place in another 
recognized and comp etent international organization.    WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 39 
 
 
   III. TECHNICAL NOTES TO EXPLAIN THE PROPOSED REVISIONS UNDER 
SECTION II 
 
- Share of world NAMA trade less than 0. 1 per cent is a criterion used for the 
treatment of SVEs under Paragraph 13 of the December 2008 NAMA text, 
TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3 and one of the criterion used for the definition of an 
SVE under Annex I of the  December 2008 Agriculture, TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4.  
One of the benefits of using this cr iterion is that it is obtained from texts 
where the definition of an SVE is stab ilized in the context of the Doha round 
of negotiations.   
- All Members with a share of world NAM A trade less than 0.1 per cent also 
have a share of global fisheries catch less than one percent, as per FAO's average estimates for 2006-2008.  In fact, 23 out of the 28 countries in the list in Annex 1 (inclusive of the 03 landloc ked countries) have a share of global 
fisheries catch less than 0.1 per cent each.   
 IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS 
 
The SVEs have accepted all forms of other di sciplines on fisheries subsidies proposed 
in the Draft Chair's Text, including throu gh enhanced transparency disciplines, an 
actionability clause and even through the concept of  the proposed Article I.2.  In addition, the 
SVEs have accepted the principle of conditio ning Special and Differential Treatment 
exemptions on a core set of fisheries-manage ment related criterion easily enforceable in 
developing countries.  This proposal only seeks fo r some additional flexibility for SVEs with 
respect to the proposed exemptions to the prohibited subsidies under Article I.   
 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 40  
 
  ANNEX 1 
 
List of SVEs with Share of World NAMA Trade of less than 0.1% and whose  
percentage share of global marine w ild capture is not more than 1 % 
 
 
Non-LDC WTO Developing 
Country Members with Share of 
World NAMA trade less than 
0.1% (See Note 1 below) Share of World NAMA 
trade (Average of period 
1999-2004) Share of global total catch 
(marine wild capture fishing 
only), Average of period  
2006 – 2008)  
(See Note 2 below) 
Antigua and Barbuda  0.004 0.004 
Barbados  0.011 0.003 
Belize  0.004 0.028 
Bolivia, Plurinational State of 
(landlocked) 0.028 n/a 
Cuba  0.052 0.034 
Dominica  0.001 0.001 
Dominican Rep. 0.063 0.016 
Ecuador  0.098 0.487 
El Salvador  0.044 0.046 
Fiji  0.012 0.051 
Grenada  0.002 0.003 
Guatemala  0.072 0.022 
Guyana  0.008 0.054 
Honduras  0.032 0.018 
Jamaica  0.040 0.018 
Jordan  0.071 0.001 
Kenya  0.041 0.159 
Mauritius  0.034 0.009 
Mongolia (landlocked) 0.012 n/a 
Nicaragua  0.018 0.032 
Panama  0.035 0.264 
Papua New Guinea  0.030 0.270 
Paraguay (landlocked) 0.023 n/a 
Saint Kitts and Nevis  0.002 0.001 
Saint Lucia  0.003 0.002 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  0.002 0.005 
Trinidad and Tobago  0.088 0.015 
Uruguay  0.037 0.131 
 
 (1) Data compiled from WTO document TN/M A/S/18, as referenced in Paragraph 13 of 
TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3, 8 December 2008.  The above list is also contained in Annex I, TN/AG/W/4/Rev.4, 
8 December 2008. 
 (2) Statistics relating to global fisheries ca tch for the average period 2006-2008 have been 
directly obtained from the FAO.  Statistics in rel ation to share of global fisheries capture for the 
Members referenced as "landlocked" was not availabl e primarily due to these Members being landlocked 
countries, with little marine wild capture fishing activity.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 41 
 
 
  2. Textual Proposal for Additional Flexibilities for Small and Vulnerable Economies 
Under Article III of the Proposed Draft Chair's Text On Fisheries Subsidies – 
TN/RL/GEN/162 (8 January 2010) 
II. PROPOSED TEXTUAL REVISIONS TO ARTICLE III.2(B) OF CHAIR'S TEXT, 
ANNEX VIII, TN/RL/W/213 
 
(b) In addition, subject to the provisions of Article V:   
 
 (1) Subsidies referred to in Articles I.1(d), I.1(e) and I.1(f) shall not be 
prohibited.   
 
(2) (i) Subsidies referred to in Article I.1( a) and I.1(c) shall not be prohibited 
provided that they are used exclusively for marine wild capture fishing 
employing decked vessels not greater than 10 meters or 34 feet in length overall, or undecked vessels of any length.  OR 
 
 (ii) Subsidies referred to in Article I.1(a) and Article I.1(c) should not be 
prohibited for those developing co untry Members whose percentage share 
in world NAMA trade is not more than 0.1 per cent and whose percentage 
share of global marine wild capture is not more than 1 per cent. 
 
(3) For fishing and service vessels of such Members other than the vessels 
referred to in paragraph (b)(2), subsidies referred to in Article I.1(a) shall not 
be prohibited provided that (i) the vessels are used exclusively for marine wild capture fishing activities of such  Members in respect of particular, 
identified target stocks within their Exclusive Economic Zones ("EEZ");  (ii) 
those stocks have been subject to pr ior scientific status assessment conducted 
in accordance with relevant internationa l standards, aimed at ensuring that the 
resulting capacity does not exceed a sustainable level;  and (iii) that assessment has been subject to peer review in the relevant body of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ("FAO").
36 
 3. Drafting Proposal on Issues Relating to Article III.4 ("Special and Differential 
Treatment of Developing Country Members" ) of the Fisheries Subsidies Annex to the 
SCM Agreement as Proposed by the Chair in TN/RL/W/213 - TN/RL/GEN/158 (22 May 2008) 
Proponents:  ACP and SVEs Groups 
 
6. In line with the above considerations, it is suggested to modify Article III.4 as 
follows:   
 
III.4.1 "Members recognize that devel oping country Members, especially 
least-developed countries and small, vulnerable economies, will face serious 
challenges in complying with the requireme nts of this Annex, in particular as 
regards the conditions and criteria set fo rth in this Article and in Articles V 
("Fisheries Management") and VI ("Notifications and Surveillance").   
 
                                                      
36 If the Member in question is not a member of the FAO, the peer review shall take place in another 
recognized and comp etent international organization.   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 42  
 
  III.4.2 Members recognize that the ability of developing country Members, 
especially least-developed countries and small, vulnerable economies, to 
adopt, implement and sustain measures necessary for complying with the 
requirements of this Annex may depend on the effective and timely provision 
of technical assistance by Members to developing country Members in 
accordance with their demands and needs.  Members recognize that 
developing country Members will have different implementation needs and 
capacities and to this end, developing countries which indicate a need for 
technical assistance shall be provided with such assistance through bilateral 
processes, through new and/or existing WTO technical assistance and support 
mechanisms and through other mechanis ms of relevant international and 
regional organisations.   
 
III.4.3 The Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures shall 
establish a Sub-Committee dealing exclusiv ely with issues related to technical 
assistance and support programs under this Annex, specifically as regards 
fisheries management systems and measures related thereto.  The 
Sub-Committee shall coordinate the requests from developing country 
Members for technical assistance and s upport programs and shall review the 
effectiveness of the technical assi stance provided to developing country 
Members.37  The Sub-Committee shall periodically report its findings to the 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and the Committee on 
Trade and Development.38   
                                                      
37 The Sub-Committee, in consultation with the de veloping Member concerned, shall identify any 
additional needs of that Member for technical assistance and every effort shall be made to ensure that 
appropriate technical assistan ce is provided to that Member.  The role of the Sub-Committee shall not be to 
determine the validity of a developing co untry's request for technical assistance. 
38 Future discussion would be required on the procedures to be followed if a developing country 
member does not receive the re quested technical assistance.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 43 
 
 
  IX. COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT 
A. CURRENT DRAFT TEXT  
1. Views of the Small Vulnerable Economies on  the Negotiations of Paragraph 31(III) of 
the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Comm unication from the Small, Vulnerable 
Economies39 - JOB/TE/18 (1 April 2011) 
1. This proposal sets out the views of the Group of Small, Vulnerable Economies 
(SVEs), in the negotiations derived from paragraph 31 (iii) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, 
aimed at "the reduction or, as appropriate, elimi nation of tariff and non-tariff barriers to 
environmental goods and services."   
2. This proposal is also premised on the recognition that the Doha Round is centered on 
the needs and interests of developing countries, and on the fact that in the Doha Declaration 
Ministers recognized that every country has the ri ght to take measures de emed appropriate for, 
inter alia , the protection of the environment, provide d that these measures do not constitute a 
means of arbitrary discrimination between countries where the same conditions prevail.40  
3. Being widely acknowledged that th e SVEs face special circumstances among 
developing countries due, inter alia, to their minimal participation in world trade, limited 
natural resources, severe fiscal constraints, and, in most cases, their  vulnerability to natural 
disasters,  the SVEs believe that in the tr ade and environment negotiations, the special 
circumstances and characteristics of their me mbers should be duly taken into account, in 
compliance with the mandate outlined in paragr aph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration 
which refers to the Work Program on Small Ec onomies, as well as paragraph 41 of the Hong 
Kong Ministerial Declaration in which Minist ers instructed the Dedicated Session of the 
Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) to "monitor progress of the small economies' 
proposals in the negotiating and other bodies, w ith the aim of providing responses to the trade-
related issues of small economies as soon as possible" .  
4. The SVEs hereby draw the attention of the Members to their need for special and 
differential treatment, that in line with the ma ndate contained in paragraph 50 of the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration, would allow us in tu rn to meet the objective of paragraph 51 which 
states that sustainable development should be pa rt of the outcome of the negotiations on trade 
and environment.  
5. For this reason, our Group is interested in ensuring that any outcome in this 
negotiation effectively strikes a balance between market access, environmental benefits and the 
legitimate objective of our Members to mainta in policies that will allow our sustainable 
development.  Moreover, due r ecognition should be given to the fact that many developing 
countries, including SVEs, contribute least to the degradation of the environment, but suffer 
most of its negative consequences.  
6. In any event, the SVE Group wishes to re iterate its strong opposition to any sectoral 
type market access approach to the negotiations on trade and environment, particularly to those 
on paragraph 31 (iii).  In this respect, the Group maintains that these negotiations cannot and 
                                                      
39 This communication is without prejudice to the final position that the SVEs will take regarding 
negotiations on trade and environment, including with regards to paragraph 31(iii) of the Doha Ministerial 
Declaration. The SVE Group and its individual members, reserve the right to submit further communication on this issue. 
40 From paragraphs 3 and 6 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration. WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 44  
 
  shall not adversely affect the flexibilities that ha ve been agreed for SVEs in other negotiating 
areas of the Doha Development Agenda, such as in NAMA and Agriculture.  
7. Finally, the SVEs would like to stress and reiterate the importance of technical 
assistance, capacity building and transf er of technology in these negotiations.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 45 
 
 
  X. NEGOTIATING GROUP ON TRADE FACILITATION 
A. CURRENT DRAFT TEXT  
1. Draft consolidated negotiating text - TN/TF/W/165/Rev. 5 (5 November 2010) 
ARTICLE 15:  PREAMBLE/CROSS-CUTTING MATTERS 
 
[1.1 [Small [and vulnerable] [economies]] de veloping [and least developed] countries 
which are Members of a customs union or a regional economic arrangement may adopt 
regional approaches to assist in the implemen tation of their obligations under the Trade 
Facilitation Agreement including through th e establishment and use of regional bodies .] WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 46  
 
  XI. AID FOR TRADE TASK FORCE 
1. Aid for Trade - WT/AFT/W/18 (15 June 2006) 
 Proponent:  Barbados 
 
 III. SCOPE FOR AFT   
 9. In general, AFT should cover the following:   
 Trade Policy and Regulations, (i.e. regional and multilateral negotiations, 
standards, implementation of trade ag reements, trade policy and planning);  
 
 Trade-Related Infrastructure (i.e. transport and storage, communications, energy, 
trade facilitation, etc);  
 
 Trade Development (i.e. trade  promoti on strategy and implementation, market 
analysis and development);  
 
 Productive Supply-Side Constraints, (i.e. banking and financial services, research 
and development and innovation; busin ess and other services, agriculture, 
forestry, fishing, industry and mining, tourism etc.);  and  
 
 Trade Adjustment (abnormal adjustment  resulting from severe adverse trade 
shocks). 
  IV. PRIORITY AREAS FOR INTERVENTION 
 
 A. TRADE
 POLICY  AND  REGULATIONS 
  B. 
TRADE ADJUSTMENT  
  C. 
TRADE -RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE  
 
 D. TRADE DEVELOPMENT  
  E. 
PRODUCTIVE SUPPLY -SIDE CONSTRAINTS  
 
V. A PRIVATE SECTOR AID FOR TRADE PROGRAMME 
  29. A special effort should be made to ensu re the involvement of the private sectors in 
both developed and developing countries a nd to connect them to each other. 
 
 30. The scope of a Private Sector Aid Fo r Trade Programme should relate to activities 
capable of supporting private sector efforts to e xport.  The identification of gaps in current 
Official Development Assistance in the trade-related field would be an appropriate starting point. 
  31. The delivery and monitoring of Private Sector AFT programmes should be vested in 
an organization agreed between interested mu ltilateral and bilateral donor agencies and sector 
specific representative institutions on a country basis or, where appropriate, on a regional 
basis.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 47 
 
 
   
 32. AFT participants should aim for a feasibl e programme of assistance that is based on 
professional diagnostic studies and needs assess ments and on arrangements for a monitoring 
system using mutually agreed benchmarks.  Improving coherence and coordination of action 
among multiple donors should also be part of this approach.  
 
 33. An existing international trade-related organization that has a comparative advantage 
in this field, and also enjoys the confidence of developing countries, should be given responsibility for managing the programme.  On the recipient side, the executing agency could be the agreed representative ins titution such as regional development banks. 
 
 VI. VOLUME AND NATURE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT   A. 
MOBILIZING ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES  
 
 34. According to the paragraph 57 mandate , additional funding is required.  Between 
1994-2004, development aid has been decreasing as debt relief became an increasing part of 
ODA.  It would be important therefore that curre nt aid budgets are not depleted in order to 
support AFT but rather additional resources w ould be tapped to add "new money" to ODA 
budgets.  
 
 35. The pledges so far for 2010 are promising but the challenge remains to realize 
additionality.  In this respect, it is essential that in finalizing commitments to the provision of 
these resources that long-term sustainability of  the AFT process and predictability in the 
provision of funds are assured. 
 
 B. NATURE  OF AFT  FINANCIAL  SUPPORT 
 
36. In order to avoid an increase in the debt burden of developing countries, particularly 
LDCs and small, vulnerable de veloping countries, aid-for-tra de financial support should be 
provided primarily in the form of grants.  However, for certain high cost physical infrastructure projects, these could be co-fina nced with long-term concessional loans from 
other multilateral financial ins titutions (e.g., regional deve lopment banks and the World 
Bank).  Such loans should be on terms no less favourable than those of IDA or IFAD. 
  37. Funding should also not involve any burdensome conditionalities.  The latter should 
be limited to monitoring and governance. 
 
 38. With regard to the financial instrument s, there is as much a need for budgetary 
support that is available for sector-wide approaches on a multi-annual basis, as for specific "project financing".  Budgetary support in situations of fiscal imbalance and 
balance-of-payments deficit ensures macroec onomic stability through quicker disbursement 
and a focus on the areas of adjustment most in n eed.  It facilitates the development of projects 
by ensuring the correct macroeconomic environment. 
  C. 
DURATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF AFT FUNDING  
  39. The problems related to supply-side capac ity and trade-related infrastructure must be 
tackled on a sustainable basis.  This essentially implies that projects must be developed and 
implemented over many years and be funded on a multi-year basis.  AFT funds would 
therefore have to be replenished periodically acco rding to an agreed schedule, and procedures 
would have to be established to ensure this. 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
Page 48  
 
   40. Access to these funds would also have  to be guaranteed and predictable, and to 
achieve this purpose, some agreement between  donors and recipients would be needed to 
provide such security.  In this context, some c onsideration could be given to strengthening the 
role of multilateral sources in the provision of the additional resources. 
 
 VII. MONITORING AND GOVERNANCE OF AFT  
  A. 
MONITORING MECHANISM  
  41. The role of the WTO in monitoring and evaluating performance of AFT programmes 
should be paramount, and this responsibility c ould be assigned to its highest Council and its 
subsidiary bodies (particularly the Committ ee on Trade and Development).  The Joint 
WTO/OECD Database on TRTA/CB already constitu tes a useful monitoring tool which could 
be further enhanced by improved supervision of  the collection and processing of information.  
In addition, a mechanism would be needed to assess the impact of AFT.  Monitoring should 
permit the involvement of recipients, donors and other interested parties. 
  B. 
GOVERNANCE MECHANISM  
 
42. The wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral mechanisms now in operation 
would suggest that the AFT governance mechan ism should first explore the comparative 
advantage of existing institutions and seek to improve functioning where gaps exists.  
  43. Several forms of assistance suffer from insufficient resources as well as a lack of 
coordination between the institutions managi ng the projects.  These weaknesses should be 
avoided in AFT. 
 
 44. There is need for credible mechanis ms for delivering AFT and ways of improving 
existing national and regional mechanisms mu st be found.  Regional development banks 
should play a key role in this area. 
  45. Any governance structure should ensure WTO involvement as well as provide for 
adequate coordination where gaps have been ob served.  The effective participation of WTO 
Members or their representatives – which agai n could be the regional development banks 
should be assured.  It should also draw into  the process international and regional financial 
agencies, the private sector, bilateral donors along w ith experts, and other interested parties.  
There should be an agreed administrative frame work with agreed principles of management 
and allocation of funds. Institutiona l conditionalities should be avoided. 
  C. 
ELIGIBILITY  
 
46. In terms of country coverage, AFT s hould address the relevant needs of all WTO 
developing-country Members with priority to LDCs, SVEs and acceding small developing 
countries. 
  VIII. PROCESSES TO IDENTIFY TRADE-RELATED NEEDS AT THE INDIVIDUAL 
COUNTRY LEVEL 
 
47. In view of the wide variation in countr y situations, a country-specific approach to 
needs assessment will be necessary in order to identify both the priority needs of individual 
countries and the additional assistance required in e ach case.  This effort should take into 
account the needs of the private sector.   WT/COMTD/SE/W/22/Rev.6 
 Page 49 
 
 
  48. For countries that are part of a regiona l integration scheme and would wish their 
national approaches to be complimented by a regional needs assessment approach, the latter 
should also be undertaken. 
49. Aid for Trade should allow policy flexib ilities and national ownership as mandated in 
the Paris Declaration of June 2005.  Adopted at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness 
(March 2005) the Paris Declaration on Aid E ffectiveness has been prepared with broad 
participation from development practitioners , through a process coordinated by the 
High-Level Forum Steering Committee.  The decl aration outlines a set of joint commitments 
and targets for governments and multilateral donor s to reach over the next five years. 
 
__________